U.S. U-23s Down Armenia 3-1 in 2000 Opener at Rose Bowl

NewsJan 16, 2000

PASADENA, Calif. (Sunday, January 16, 2000) - The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team opened the 2000 campaign with a solid 3-1 win over the full Armenia National Team at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The game, which was covered live online at U.S. Soccer's website (www.us-soccer.com), was the second part of a unique doubleheader that saw a lively and sprawling crowd of 50,181 watch the U.S. Men's National Team tie the Iranian National Team.

The U.S. Under-23's dominated play from the outset, striking quickly in the sixth minute when the American frontrunners beat Armenia's offsides trap and raced on with a four-on-none advantage. Forwards Chris Albright and Conor Casey worked a give-and-go to perfection against helpless Armenian goalkeeper Haroutyan Abrahamyan, with Casey tapping it into an empty net.

Just ten minutes later, the Armenians equalized when midfielder Tigram Petrosyantz gathered the ball outside the penalty box and unleashed a 23-yard rocket that caught U.S. goalkeeper Adin Brown off his line and flat-footed.

The U.S. had just one other solid scoring chance in the first half, but defender Ramiro Corrales' shot following a free kick from 25 yards sailed 10 feet wide of the near post in the 38th minute. Armenia had their own chance to pull ahead before the half in the 43rd minute when Armenia's possession in the box resulted in a shot by Arthur Petrosyan, whose blast sailed a few feet high of the crossbar.

Similar to the first half, the U.S. got on the board just minutes into the second stanza. The quick-bang play started with an inswinging corner kick from Corrales, who swerved it perfectly to the far post. Defender Chad McCarty leaped to head it the ball backwards, where it skipped through the box and past three U.S. players to the feet of midfielder Peter Vagenas, who sent a 25-yard blast into the back of the net in the 51st minute.

Team USA and Armenia traded off-target shots throughout the rest of the match and the U.S. had two goals called back for offsides before the Americans put a third goal on the scoreboard. As he was all day, Vagenas was the force behind the third goal, dribbling through two challenges as he charged on the offensive before laying the ball of to 17-year-old superstar Landon Donovan, who finished easily in the 90th.

The Americans next travel to Portugal for a foreign tour of three games from Jan. 21-30 and then spend Feb. 6-11 training in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in which they will play three matches in six days, including a rare match against the full U.S. Men's National Team and two games against MLS clubs who will be in the area for MLS 2000 Spring Training.

Looming on the horizon is CONCACAF's Under-23 Men's Final Olympic Qualifying tournament, which will be played April 21-30 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Penn. The qualifying competition is currently entering its second stage of qualifying, with 12 teams making up three groups. The United States, as part of Group C, receives a bye into the final round of qualification as the host federation. The U.S. needs to finish as one of the top two teams in what will be a six-team final qualifying tournament in order to advance to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

1st minute - U.S. kicks off.
1st minute - U.S.: CASEY offsides.
4th minute - Foul by Armenia on right side near midfield.
5th minute - U.S. Corner by CORRALES cleared to sideline for throw. Another corner drawn.
6th minute - U.S. Corner by THORRINGTON, cleared with no shot.
7th minute - U.S. breakaway as they beat the offside trap, led by ALBRIGHT on right side. His pass across goalmouth is finished by CASEY for a goal. U.S. leads, 1-0.11th minute - Direct kick awarded to Armenia on left side, about 25 yards from goal. The shot on second touch is well high over the crossbar.
15th minute - The U.S. has been largely controlling play in the midfield with each side occaisionally making runs into the opposing defense.
17th minute - Armenia: A shot from PETROSYANTZ Tigram (#8) from about 23 yards, just left of center, finds the far side of the goal, Tying the score at 1-1. Unassisted goal for PETROSYANTZ.
19th minute - ALBRIGHT freed on the left side in the box, shot wide left.
20th minute - Yellow card shown to Armenia's PETROSYAN Arthur.
24th minute - CHERUNDOLO carries from midfield to the 18 yard box and passes to CASEY on the left wing. CASEY is unable to control around two defenders on left side of box and ball is cleared without a shot.
26th minute - U.S. executes a give-and-go on the right side and the ball is crossed into CASEY in the box in front of goal, about 16 yards out. Trying to set-up left foot, an Armenian defender clears the ball from CASEY. Armenia carries into the U.S. side of the field on counterattack, but nothing comes from it.
31st minute - Armenia corner on left side by HAGOPYAN Aram, caught in the air by BROWN without a challenge.
33rd minute - Foul suffered by HAGOPYAN Ara just inside midfield on left side. Ensuing direct kick results in soft header from 17, easily saved by BROWN.
37th minute - Game is even, mostly being played in midfield.
39th minute - Foul drawn by THORRINGTON gives U.S. a free kick from about 30 yards. Shot taken by CORRALES, wide right.
Note: Fouls committed: U.S. 7, Armenia 6.
43rd minute - Armenia pressure in front of goal leads to three dangerous attempts, the first is a cross in front of goal, the ball is then sent back toward goal and blocked. The rebound goes to PETROSYAN, whose shot is high over crossbar.
45th minute - Armenia draws corner on counterattack. (Corners: U.S. 2, Armenia 2). Taken by HAGOPYAN Aram. Headed out by U.S. defender. Ball sent out to right wing and crossed, safely away from goal. BROWN leaves line to challenge cross and is unable to get a hand on the ball, but it safely sails to the far wing, where no Armenian player is in position to field the ball.
Note: Even in most stat categories: Shots, 3-3; Shots on goal, 1-1; Fouls, 7-7; Offsides, 2 for the U.S. and 0 for Armenia.

HALFTIME

46th minute - Armenia kicks off. No halftime substitutions.
46th minute - U.S. offsides.
49th minute - Armenia draws direct kick from about 34 yards on the right side. Sent across to far side of box and cleared. THORRINGTON leads a counterattack along the right wing and his shot is saved by the Armenian 'keeper.
51st minute - CORRALES takes the corner from right side for U.S. Ball goes to McCARTY in front of far post. McCarty heads ball back to top of box, where VAGENAS Peter sends a first-touch shot to the left side of the goal. U.S. leads, 2-1.55th minute - HAROUTYUN carries into U.S. defense and sends shot from 30 yards which is blocked by McCARTY
56th minute - Armenia corner by HAGOPYAN Aram sent out for another corner. On second corner, ball gets out to KARAMYAN Ardvaszt on left side at top of box. His shot is blocked.
59th minute - HAGOPYAN Ara carries into box and sends shot underpressure from close-range on left side of goal in penalty area, which is saved by BROWN.
59th minute - A poor pass in the Armenia defense is loose near the 18 on right side, shot wide right by THORRINGTON.
60th minute - Shot from CORRALES near top of box under light pressure is wide right.
61st minute - HAROUTYUN sends a free kick from nearly 40 yards wide right.
62nd minute - ALBRIGHT offsides on long pass from goalkeeper BROWN.
63rd minute - ALBRIGHT dribbles ball from midfield, shadowed by a defender, sends shot on goal from 19 yards, saved by diving goalkeeper.
65th minute - U.S. substitution: DONOVAN for ALBRIGHT.
65th minute - CORRALES given yellow card for handling the ball near sideline.
68th minute - KARAMYAN Ardavaszt carries the ball into the box with a dangerous run, but his pass is just wide for his teammate and is controlled by the U.S.
72nd minute - HAROUTYUN Vatanyan loses the ball in tight space on sideline.
73rd minute - Hand ball by KHATCHTRYAN gets a yellow card.
73rd minute - Armenia substitution: SHAHPANDARYAN for HAGOPYAN Ara.
73rd minute - Apparent U.S. goal by CASEY, set up by a pass from VAGENAS to DONOVAN on right side and cross to CASEY in front of goal is called off due to offsides.
75th minute - DONOVAN and THORRINGTON lead a 3-on-2 break, but DONOVAN's final cross from left side inside box is intercepted by a trailing Armenian defender.
79th minute - Corner by DONOVAN headed wide by McCARTY. Corner had been set up when U.S. pressure forced the Armenia defense to play the ball over the endline.
80th minute - VAGEVAS sprung on left side of box, plays ball to top of penalty area. One-time volley from DONOVAN slides wide left from 18.
83rd minute - CHERUNDOLO yellow-carded for tackle on left side.
84th minute - Armenia free kick from 35 yards deflected and sent wide right for corner kick. Kick cleared by U.S. defense.
90th minute - VAGENAS carries ball into box and encounters an Armenian defender, ball is deflected to DONOVAN on right side. DONOVAN's shot from inside the penalty area finds the net, past the goalkeeper, giving the U.S. a 3-1 lead.